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Kameo: Elements of Power Update

Microsoft knows that ultimately it's killer games that are going to sell people on the concept of the Xbox 360. During the company's recent press event at the Leipzig Games Convention (see our full writeup), the poster-child game for the 360 was Rare's latest epic: Kameo: Elements of Power.

For the most part the demo followed along the lines of what we saw at E3, with special emphasis on the power of the next-generation Xbox's graphics.

It's true that Kameo's world was absolutely loaded with detail: every area was rendered in a kind of fairy-tale cartoony exaggerated style and packed with little things to bring it to life. For instance, an idyllic countryside area was exploding with life. Every blade of grass moved, insects buzzed around, birds and butterflies fluttered, the sun glinted majestically off of every surface -- it really did look like a fairy tale.

Two parts of the demo in particular were graphically spectacular. The first, described in detail in our wrapup from E3, was when the screen was filled with thousands of Trolls and Elves locked in combat all up and down a hillside. Kameo was able to charge through the crowds on horseback, shoving monsters aside like she was dashing through water.

Even more impressive was the throne room. Kameo entered a massive chamber stretching into the distance, flanked by golden pillars. Stained-glass windows lined the walls. The throne itself, surrounded by magic at the end of the hall, shimmered so brightly that from a distance it looked like an opulent glow. If you walked to the throne and looked back across the room, you ccould see shafts of light pouring in through the massive windows, while the air all throughout the room is lit by twinkling speckles as if you're in the middle of a galaxy of stars. Pretty sharp stuff.

Sadly, the game itself wasn't playable at the show, so that was all we got to see. For now, at least. Stay tuned for more coverage as the Xbox 360 nears release later this year!